Shaft keying and locking construction



Nov. 27, 1951 J. 5. KESSLER 27,576,298-

-- SHAFT'KEYING AND LOCKING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 51, 1949 IN VENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 27, 1951 SHAFT KEYING AND LOCKING CONSTRUCTION Joseph S.Kessler, Kenosha, Wis, :assignor to Tizi- GloverzMalchine (1a., Kenosha,Wis., @a corporation-cf Wisconsin Application March 31, 1949, Serial No.84301 I This invention relates to improvements in shaft keying andlocking constructions.

There are many applications wherein it desired to removably fix amember, such as animpeller, gear, or the like, onto a driving shaft.Heretofore it has been customary to key the impeller :or like member tothe shaft. This .served to prevent rotation of the member on the shaft,but it did not alone prevent relative axial movement. As a'result, ithas been customary to utilize additional meanssuch as a cotter pin ornut.

'-In certain equipment, such as that used .in the food industry, it isof utmost'importance that the use :of inaccessible "irregularities suchas holes, screw threads, corners, grooves and the like, which might forma lodging place for food particles, be minimized. It is also importantthat this type of equipment be designed :for quick and easy disassemblyand cleaning.

With the above in mind, it is a general object of the invention toprovide a novel construction for simultaneously keying an impeller orthe like to a .shaft and for locking said impeller against axialmovement. A further object of the invention is to provide a constructionof the class described which :permits an impeller. or the like to be.readily and quickly mounted on or removed from a shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof the class described having a keying and locking member which isformed with a key portion and with a resilient snapring portion, thelast-mentioned of which may be manually snapped into or out of operativeposition when the key portion is in place, said snap ring portionservingto prevent displacement of said keying portion, as well as to preventdisplacement of the impeller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of theclass described which is easily cleaned and which a has no inaccessiblecorners, holes or screw threads in which food .partic-les may collect.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of theclass described which is simple in construction, strong and reliable,and easy to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, 'the invention consists of theimproved. keying and locking means, and :all of its parts andcombinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

9 Claims. (Cl. 2.87-53-) In the drawing accompanying and :forming a theinvention, and wherein the'isam'e reference characters indicate the samein all :of the views: .Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side viewof an impellershowing "it keyed and locked-onto a s'haftby means of one form of"improved keying andlocking member, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is afragmentaryendview taken approximately along the line 2-2 of Fi'g'. i,the not and dash lines illustrating the keying -and locking member in areleasedposition; 7 Fig. his a perspective viewof the improvedkeying andlocking rnemberof Figs. '1' and 2 s'ho'virl'l alone;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view 'of :a modified form of improved keying andlocking member; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary "end view similar to Fig. 2 but showing themodifiedform of keying and locking member in both locking and releasedposition.

Referring more particularly to the drawing;

the numeral '5 indicates-a shaft which amayhavean end portion 6 ofreduced diameter :toro'rm a shoulder 1. The numeral sindicates animpeller or other device having a hub =9 formed-with 'a smooth,unthrea-ded bore H) which is of substantially the same diameter as theportion 6 of the shaft 5. The impeller B is positioned on the por' tiont of the shaft 5 with one end of the in abutment with theshoul-d'er 'l.

The portion 8 of the shaft 5 is-formed with a jacent the outer face-ofthe hub 9, is formedwith.

a circumferential groove 13, which may communicate. with the groove H.If desired, the groove It may extend completely around the shaft 5, butsatisfactory results have been obtained with a groove is whichterminates at about the point M shown in Fig. 2. This point is .located-.substantially more than 180 from the groove M in a counterclockwisedirection (as viewedinFig.2). I

.An improved keying and locking member 18 is formed with a cylindricalstem or key portion l5 having a diameter substantially equal to thediameter ofthe cylindrical cavity formed by the registering grooves Hand 12. The member 48 is also preferably formed with integral lock ingclip or snap ring M5- having sprin-g-l-ike qualihub -9 ties and which isconnected to one end of the key 15. The clip It extends in a planesubstantially at a right angle to the axis of the shaft and the key I5and is substantially c-shaped as shown. The clip I6 has a radius ofcurvature preferably equal to or smaller than that of the groove l3. Atits free end the clip I6 is formed with a handle portion H.

To install the keying and locking member IS, the grooves II and I2 ofthe shaft 5 and the hub 9 respectively are positioned in registration,and the cylindrical key I5 is slidably inserted into the cylindricalcavity formed by said grooves with the clip I6 thereof in the dot anddash line position of Fig. 2. After the key I5 has been insertedsufficiently far to bring the clip I6 into the same plane as theperipheral groove I3 on the shaft 5, the clip I6 is swung toward theshaft 5 and into the groove I3. During such movement the clip I6 swingsabout the key I5 as a pivot. Since the radius of curvature of the clipI6 is equal to or smaller than that of the groove I3 it will be spreadapart slightly as it is snapped into the position on the shaft 5, whichis shown in' Fig; 2. This snapping action holds the member I 4 inoperative position and prevents its dis placement.

When the improved keying and locking device isin the operative positionshown in Figs. 1 and 2, it effectively prevents rotation of the hub 9relative to the shaft 5, and it also efiectively'prevents axial movementof the hub 9 relative to said shaft. The latter is true because when theclip I Ii is seated in the groove I3, it abuts the outer face of the hub9 and prevents outward movement thereof.

'To remove the keying and locking member I8 from its operative positionit is only necessary to snap the clip I6 off of the shaft 5 by graspingthe handle I! of said clip and swinging it to the V-shaped retainingclip also having spring-like qualities and which is connected to one endportion of a key I5. The clip I6 extends in a plane substantially at aright angle to the axes of the shaft 5 and the key I5, and has asubstantially straight leg I9 and a leg 20 which is formed with anarcuate portion 2I. preferably has a radius of curvature substantiallyequal to that of the groove I3. At its free end the clip I6 is formedwith a handle portion H.

The looped portion 22 formed at the juncture of legs I9 and 20 providesthe tensioning required to urge said legs toward each other when saidlegs are forced outwardly, as for example when the clip I8 is ininstalled position on the shaft 5. When the clip I8 is removed from theshaft the legs I9 and 20 are preferably disposed at a smaller angularitythan when said clip is in looking position on the shaft.

When the member I8 is in keying and locking position, the arcuateportion 2| of the clip I6 engages a portion of the groove I3diametrically opposite from the grooves II and I2. The installation andremoval of the modified form of keying and locking member I8 issubstantially the same as that of the member I8. Fig. 5 shows Thearcuate portion 2| the member. I8 in keying and locking position, andthe dot and dash lines in said figure show the clip I6 swung free of theshaft 5 and in position to permit withdrawal of the key I5.

It is apparent that the invention provides a simple construction forpositively fixing an element, such as an impeller, to a shaft. Theimproved construction is especially well adapted for use in the foodindustry because it does not require the use of any screw threadingeither onthe shaft or on the element fixed thereto. In addition, theimproved construction eliminates inaccessible sharp corners and holes inwhich food particles may collect. All of the grooves in the improvedconstruction are smooth, rounded, and easily cleaned, and the improvedkeying and lockingmember I4 is also of a shape which simplifies thecleaning operation.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated, asmay come within the scope of the claims. I

What I claim is: I 1. In combination, a shaft formed with a key' way; anelement having a bore within which said shaft is positioned, saidelement having a complementary keyway formed inlsaid bore, said shaftbeing formed with a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of andadjacent one end of said element; and a keying and locking member havinga stem forming a key rotatably and removably positioned in saidcomplementary keyways and having an elongated snap portion connected atone extremity to said stem, said snap portion being positioned in saidcircumferential groove adjacent the end portion of said bored element,said latter portion being swingable upon rotation of said stem to aposition out of said groove and away from said shaft to permit removalof said stem from said keyways.

2. In combination, a shaft formed with a substantially semi-cylindricalkeyway; an element having a bore within which said shaft is positioned,said element having a complementary substantially semi-cylindricalkeyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formed with acircumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent one end ofsaid element; and a keying and locking member formed with asubstantially cylindrical keying portion removably positioned in saidcomplementary keyways and having an elongated shaft embracing portionconnected to one extremity to said keying portion and removablypositioned in said circumferential groove adjacent the end portion ofsaid bored element.

3. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element havin acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion removably positioned in said complementary keyways andhaving a c-shaped snap-ring portion connected at one extremity to saidkeying portion and removably positioned in said circumferential grooveadjacent the end portion of said bored element.

4. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element having acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion rotatably and removably positioned in said complementarykeyways and having a G-shaped snap-ring portion fixed at one extremityto said keying portion and removably positioned in said circumferentialgroove adjacent the end portion of said bored element, said C-shapedsnap-ring portion being swingable out of said groove and away from saidshaft upon rotation of said keying portion.

5. In combination, a shaft formed at one end with a substantiallysemi-cylindrical keyway and with a circumferentially extending groove;shoulder means on said shaft spaced inwardly from said end thereof; anelement having a bore within which said shaft is positioned with saidshoulder means in abutment with one end of said element and with thecircumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent the otherend of said element, said element having a complementary substantiallysemi-cylindrical keyway formed in said bore; and a keying and lockingmember formed with a substantially cylindrical keying portion removablypositioned in said complementary keyways and having a snap-ring portion,

fixed at one extremity to said keying portion and removably positionedin said circumferential groove in embracing relationship with respect tosaid shaft and in abutment with the adjacent end portion of said boredelement, whereby said element is locked against both rotative and axialmovement relative to said shaft.

6. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element having acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a ciroumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion removably positioned in said complementary keyways andhaving a V-shaped retaining clip, having the extremity of one of itslegs connected to said keying portion said clip having an arcuateportion removably positioned in said circumferential groovediametrically opposite said shaft keyway.

7. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element having acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion removably positioned in said complementary keyways andhaving a V-shaped retaining clip, said clip having a substantiallystraight first leg connected at its extremity to said keying portion andhaving a second leg formed with an arcuate portion,

said arcuate portion being removably positioned v in saidcircumferential groove in abutment with the end portion of said boredelement. I

8. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element having acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion removably positioned in said complementary keyways andhaving a V-shaped retaining clip, said clip having a substantiallystraight first leg fixed at the extremity thereof to said keying portionand having a second leg formed with an arcuate portion having a radiusof curvature substantially equal to that of the circumferential groove,said arcuate portion being removably positioned in said circumferentialgroove diametrically opposite said shaft keyway and in abutment with theadjacent end portion of the bored element.

9. In combination, a shaft formed with a keyway; an element having abore within which said shaft is positioned, said element having acomplementary keyway formed in said bore and said shaft being formedwith a circumferentially extending groove outwardly of and adjacent oneend of said element; and a keying and locking member formed with akeying portion removably positioned in said complementary keyways andhaving a V-shaped retaining clip, said clip having a substantiallystraight first leg fixed at its extremity to said keying portion andhaving a second leg formed with an arcuate portion having a radius ofcurvature substantially equal to that of the circumferential groove,said arcuate portion being removably positioned in said circumferentialgroove diametrically opposite said shaft keyway and in abutment with theadjacent end portion of the bored element, the angular relationship ofthe first and second legs of said clip when removed from the shaft beingnormally equal to or less than the angular relationship of said legswhen said clip is in locking position on said shaft.

JOSEPH S. KESSLER.

REFERENCES SITE!) The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,017,371 Beck Feb. 13, 1912FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,204 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1914

